WTC final: India must play Mohammed Siraj if conditions favor swing - Sanjay Manjrekar
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has opined that India must include Mohammed Siraj in the playing XI if conditions for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand assist swing more than seam.
While Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami look set to make it to the playing XI for the WTC final, there could be a tussle between Ishant Sharma and Siraj for the third seamer’s slot.
According to Manjrekar, India should look to fit Mohammed Siraj into the playing XI if the pitch and weather conditions favor swing bowling. In a discussion on the ESPNCricinfo show Runorder, Manjrekar explained:
“This is just one match. So who bats first, and what’s the weather going to be like, all that counts. So if there is no hint of dryness in the pitch and if the weather forecast shows that there is not going to be too much of sun, India might be tempted to play Mohammed Siraj, considering that the last time he played overseas, he got a five-wicket haul."
Sharing his views on the two bowling attacks, former India opener Aakash Chopra said that New Zealand have bowlers to exploit the conditions, but India have variety in their attack.
“If you were to just look at the English conditions and if you assume that it is going to be a green top or pitch that will assist the fast bowlers a lot more than the spinners, you might start tilting in favor of New Zealand. But then, if you look at variety and just the different dimensions to the bowling attack, you will have to go with India, because India’s spin attack is definitely far superior than what New Zealand can put on the ground.”
Except for Mohammed Siraj, India mostly have seam bowlers: Sanjay Manjrekar
Manjrekar backed Chopra’s views on the bowling attacks for the WTC final. According to him, the Kiwis have the bowling better suited to the conditions.
He pointed out that, in the Indian team, Mohammed Siraj is the only one who can be considered a swing bowler.
“When you look at pure conditions, assuming that you will get a pitch that will aid seam more than spin, the kind of bowling that New Zealand have, it is a typical swing bowling (attack), barring somebody like Neil Wagner. They pitch the ball up, they get it to swing in the air and less off the pitch. People like (Tim) Southee, (Trent) Boult, Kyle Jamieson.
“When you look at India’s seamers, there are more guys who seam the ball. If Mohammed Siraj plays, then you have the option of somebody who is a swing bowler. The pitches might be similar to what India got when they went to New Zealand last year. India found out their bowling wasn’t ideal as they didn’t have an out-and-out swing bowler. I would want to have a pure swing bowler in the team, just in case swing is the way to go and not so much hit the deck.”
Mohammed Siraj has 16 wickets to his name from five Tests at an average of 28.25, with one five-wicket haul.